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Frank Cimatu, PDI - North Luzon Bureau For comments, suggestions and inquiries, please call (074) 442-2150/8240 or email at nclcluster.pia@gmail.com

With just 15 days to go before Christmas, the scent of the holidays is smelt all around.

Christmas favorites like bibingka and puto bumbong are sold almost everywhere, securing their niche as “flavors of the season”. Probably almost everyone just cannot let the season pass without tasting food specially made only during this time of the year.

We, Filipinos, are well-known Christmas lovers, indeed we are. That no matter how difficulties test the endurance of our patience, we remain jubilant and festive everytime Christmas season comes. We manage to spend lavishly for the traditional Noche Buena for our families to share. We make it a point that we plan what we are going to cook for Christmas Eve, for the simple joy of partaking a meal with people who are dear to us.

Hamon, queso de bola, kalamay, leche flan, lechon, ensaymada, macaroni salad, fruit salad, nilagang baka, halayang ube, suman – no matter how tight our budgets are, there would surely be one or two of these foods served on our dining tables for our Noche Buena.

But notwithstanding all the lavishness, let us keep in mind that the true spirit of the season embeds not on how much we spend to celebrate it, not on how lavish our dishes are, but on how much we can share for others especially the underprivileged. The real meaning of Christmas is giving and sharing.

And as the calendar nears to stash its last leaf, let us reflect on the things that we did during the last 350 days. Did we, at any point, extend our help? Or did we share our blessings to the needy? The year is not yet ended, we still have time to show the real spirit of Christmas.

William L. Beltran, PIA-3

Flavors of the season

Soft Opening of Region 1 Medical Treatment andRehabilitation Center, Dagupan City, PangasinanSoft Opening of Region 1 Medical Treatment andRehabilitation Center, Dagupan City, Pangasinan

Switching on of giant Christmas tree led by Mayor Amelita S. Navarroat the Mabini Circle, Santiago City

Switching on of giant Christmas tree led by Mayor Amelita S. Navarroat the Mabini Circle, Santiago City

Municipal Green Banner Awardees from seven municipalitiesin Central Luzon during the Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony

held at the City of San Fernando, Pampanga

Municipal Green Banner Awardees from seven municipalitiesin Central Luzon during the Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony

held at the City of San Fernando, Pampanga

Opening of Christmas Village at the Baguio Country Club(photos by Monch David)

Opening of Christmas Village at the Baguio Country Club(photos by Monch David)

,PDI

Statisticsby: BAS/DA

National Statistical Coordination Board

Ilocos Norte Crime Statistics

November 28

November 28-29

November 29

November 29

November 29 EMB- establishment of Regional Ecology Center meeting, EMB Regional

Office 2, Tuguegarao City

November 27-30 Cagayan GSP- RD Licas travel to Macau-Hongkong

December 1 LGU Lal-lo lighting of Funtastic ChristMasterpieces and inauguration and

grand opening of a "A Christmas Story", Lallo, Cagayan

December 1 Regional Consultation for the Philippines' Preparation and Participation to the

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development or Rio+20 - RD Licas

to give Synthesis, Crown Pavillion

December 1-2 1st National Occupational Safety and Health Networks (OSHNet)

Conference, Ickhinawa Hall, OSCHC Cmpg, QC

December 2 POPCOM Regional Executive Board (RPEB) - Regional Inter-Collegiate

Population Debate

RDC2-Committee on Development and Administration

3rd quarter meeting, NEDA-R2, Tug. City

DOST orientaion seminar on Intelectual property,

CSU Carig, Tug. City

DOST orientation on automatic rain gauge, DOST-R2, Tug. City

Joint Regional Development Council (RDC) and Cagayan Valley- Regional

Peace and Order Council (CV-RPOC) meeting, Crown Pavillion

Nov. 28/ 7:30 am Ilocos Norte Infocen’s “Morning Sky” Television Program over SKYCABLE Nov. 28/ 8:00 am Ilocos Sur Infocen’s “For Your Info” TV Program over Iloco heritage Channel (IHC)

16

Nov. 28/ 9:00 am Laoag City Staff Meeting Nov. 28/ 2:00 pm Vigan City Council Session Nov. 28 Sangguniang Panlungsod (Pangasinan) Regular Session Nov. 28 La Union Infocen’s PIA News Desk Seminar-Workshop on Philippine Development

Plan Nov. 29/ 7:30 am Ilocos Norte Infocen’s “Morning Sky” Television Program over SKYCABLE Nov. 29/ 8:00 am Ilocos Sur Infocen’s “For Your Info” TV Program over Iloco heritage Channel (IHC)

16 Nov. 29 Pangasinan Infocen’s “Pantongtongan Tayo” Radio Program over DZMQ Nov. 29 Pangasinan Infocen’s Basketball Goodwill Games and Entertainment Nov. 29/ 2:00 pm Sangguniang Panlungsod (Vigan City) Regular Session

Nov. 29/ 3:00 pm Ilocos Norte Infocen’s “PIA HOUR” Radio Program over DWFB Nov. 29 La Union Infocen’s Population and Development Week

Nov.29 La Union Infocen’s PIA News Desk Seminar-Workshop on Philippine Development Plan

Nov. 30/ 7:30 am Ilocos Norte Infocen’s “Morning Sky” Television Program over SKYCABLE Nov. 30/ 8:00 am Ilocos Sur Infocen’s “For Your Info” TV Program over Iloco heritage Channel (IHC)

16 Nov. 30/ 3:00 pm Ilocos Norte Infocen’s “PIA HOUR” Radio Program over DWFB Nov. 30 Pangasinan Infocen’s Monitoring of Celebration of Bonifacio Day

Nov. 30 La Union Infocen’s PIA News Desk Seminar-Workshop on Philippine Development Plan

Dec. 1/ 7:30 am Ilocos Norte Infocen’s “Morning Sky” Television Program over SKYCABLE Dec. 1/ 8:00 am Ilocos Sur Infocen’s “For Your Info” TV Program over Iloco heritage Channel (IHC)

16 Dec. 1/ 3:00 pm Ilocos Norte Infocen’s “PIA HOUR” Radio Program over DWFB

Dec. 1/ 4:00 pm La Union’s Infocen’s “Ammuentayo” Radio Program over DZNL Dec. 1 Pangasinan Infocen’s KBP Forum Dec. 1 Pangasinan Infocen’s Journalism Seminar for DepED

Dec. 2/ 7:30 am Ilocos Norte Infocen’s “Morning Sky” Television Program over SKYCABLE Dec. 2/ 8:00 am Ilocos Sur Infocen’s “For Your Info” TV Program over Iloco heritage Channel (IHC)

16 Dec. 2 Pangasinan Infocen’s Media in Action Forum

Every Thursday

PIA Hour, DZWT, Bonifacio St. Baguio City

3Dec 5 10:00AM-12:00NN

Dec 6 9:30AM

Dec 6 3:00-6:00PM

December 6-11 440th Aldo ning Kapampangan (Pampanga Day), Province of Pampanga

Dec7 9:00AM DTI Kapihan

Focus Group Discussion on the Study of the Knowledge and Utilization

of Iodized Salt in Region 3, Hotel Gracelane, San Agustin,

City of San Fernando

Used Paper Project Year-End Regular Project Coordinators Meeting,

DepEd-R3, Diosdado Macapagal Government Center, Maimpis

City of San Fernando

Business Conference for the micro, Small and Medium Enterpris

(MSMEs) of Pampanga, Benigno Aquino Hall, Capitol Compound,

City of San Fernando

Dec 6-8 First Luzon Council of Human Resource Management Practitioners (CHRMP)

Convention, Fontana Leisure Park, Clarkfield, Pampanga

Dec 7 6:00AM Press Briefing on RP Energy's Coal-Fired Power PlantMeat Plus Café, Subic Bay

Freeport Zone Bldg. 65 Sampson Road, Olongapo, Zambales

Dec7 8:00AM 4th Quarterly Meeting of the Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental

Health (RIACEH), Pampanga Provincial Capitol, City of San Fernando

Dec 1 Lighting of Christmas Tree, Session Road, Baguio City

Dec 6 Balili River System Revitalization Coalition meeting

Benguet Sate University

Dec 7 RDC Executive Commitee Meeting with CAR Congressmen and Governors

Sulo Hotel, Quezon City

Dec 12 Enhancing Social Contract Thru Transparency & Accountability Forum with

Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales Baguio Country Club

Dec 16 111th Itogon Foundation Anniversary

Dec 16 CARE-CESG General Assembly and Year-end Assessment

NEAP Hall, Teachers Camp, Baguio Cit

Dec 15 4th Quarter Meeting RLECC & Christmas Party, Log Cabin, PRO-COR, Camp Dangwa

Dec 7-8 Pre-Retirement Counseling Seminar, DTI-R3, Angeles City CSC-R3 Training Room,

Diosdado Macapagal Gov't Center, Maimpis, City of San Fdo

Dec 11 5:00PM Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awards 2011, Bren Z. Guaio Convention Center,

City of San Fernando, Pampanga